Morgan man wins Delta demolition derby

Shane Wilkinson topped 33 other drivers to win the 2012 Rabbit Rumble Demolition Derby in Delta on Saturday, May 26. Although he won $4,000, Wilkinson said that only barely covers the expenses he put into his 1957 Lincoln painted black with a number 72 on the doors.

“Four thousand dollars isn’t a lot of money when you’ve spent months building a motor and transmission that was not original to the car,” said Wilkinson, 30.

Wilkinson said his buddy found the Lincoln in Richville and it took Wilkinson all winter to fix it up for the derby.

Wilkinson remembers playing Delta’s football team in the state semi-finals when he was in high school. With that past, it was nice winning something on Delta soil, he said.

Wilkinson has been driving in demolition derbies for about 15 years now, winning about 10 times. He is a regular at derbies in Coalville, Kamas and the Golden Spike Arena.

He admits winning is a bit addicting, and this latest win has him looking for the next derby to enter. In this case, his winning Lincoln is good for another demolition derby and he plans to enter it in another derby this weekend in Eagle Mountain.

It is rare to get two derbies out of one car, he said, a testament to how expensive the sport can be.

Wilkinson said demolition derbies represent a “dying sport.”

“Cars are too expensive and it is too much to compete,” he said.

Wilkinson wasn’t the only Morgan native to compete in the Rabbit Rumble Demolition Derby May 26.

Tyler Carrigan also competed in the same derby, driving a 1968 Chrysler Newport.

The derby included 33 cars in three heats, a grudge match, and finally the main event that included the winners from the previous heats. Delta’s derby also featured nine trucks, the most ever for their truck main event. The crowd roared when Paul Cox of Glendale drove his 1962 Dodge to roll an opponent over. Cox landed teetering on top of his opponent’s underbelly.

We have not had a demolition derby in Morgan for a few years now, but this year the derby returns to the Morgan County Fair on Thursday, Aug. 2. Entries for the demolition derby are discounted if you enter before June 30. For more information call Roland Haslam at 801-710-6528.